The Way it Should Be
by Seaweed Soap
Summary: Completely random idea of what I think should happen, but won't. Basic Plot, a cliche or two, and some adult-type behavior in a garden where everything should be rosy but isn't at first.  Chapter 2/2.  Chapter 2 is very M...you have been warned... :
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Pure smut, almost AU, bare-bones plot, and in light of last night's episode, redundant. But, there's not enough M-rated Anna/Bates stuff right now - the M/M shippers seem to have taken over, so I thought I would fill the gap. Besides, I'm getting tired of the wait. I swear if Bates tells her to be patient again, I'll scream. **

The Way it Should Be...

It didn't take the news long to get from London to Downton. Mary heard it first, but Bates was a close second.

"She did what?" he said as he came around the corner. Robert and Mary looked up at him in shocked surprise - as much as for the tone of his voice as the look on his face. "She did what?" he asked again.

Finally Robert regained his composure. "She shot Sir Richard Carlisle."

Bates sank into one of the chairs. "Shot him? When, where? Bates found himself unable to sustain any coherent thought.

"In London, in his office," Mary replied. Even in his shock, it registered with Bates that Mary seemed terribly composed.

"Is he alright?" Bates asked?

Robert looked at Mary, "No. I'm afraid he's dead."

Bates looked from one to the other, his face a mixture of pain and fury and disbelief. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." He looked up at Lady Mary. "I'm so sorry, m'lady."

Mary surprised Bates by placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be, Bates. It's not your fault. It's Vera's fault." She was looking at him oddly. "But..." He stopped as he felt her hand tighten on his shoulder.

"What I can't understand," Robert interrupted, "is why she was there at all?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Much later, when the furor and fuss had died down, and the others had gone to bed, Bates found himself seeking Anna. He hadn't seen her since he heard the news, but he knew she must know by now. After several minutes of searching, he found her in the back corner of the kitchen gardens, sitting on a crate with her back against the wall.

"Anna?" His voice betrayed a measure of uncertainty coupled with unconscious pleading. He was almost ashamed to hear the plaintiveness of his voice. But he needed her.

"I'm here." She moved over to allow him to sit next to her.

"I can't believe she did it. I knew she was unstable, but dangerous?" He sighed. "Poor Lady Mary." Anna sighed. "I know, it is an awful thing." Anna turned to look at him. "She didn't love him. She was only marrying him because of what happened with Mr. Pamuk." She took his hand, "You mustn't blame yourself."

"How can I not?" he replied, more harshly than he intended. "Vera was only here because of me. She took the job at the Flintshire's because of me. She threatened to ruin the Crawley's because of me." He looked away from her. "I've done nothing but bring misery to those I love, nothing but bring pain." His hand tightened on Anna's almost to the point of pain, then he let go and turned away from her. "I am so ashamed." Head down, he sat dejectedly, silent tears of grief spilling from his eyes. Grief at his life with Vera, grief at the loss of his mother, grief at the pain he brought Lord Grantham, and grief for the knowledge that this one thing would probably cost him Anna.

Anna's heart broke to see him so distraught.

"John, look at me." Anna took him by the shoulders. "Look at me." Nothing, but silent tears. Anna sat back, unwilling to give up, but not sure what to do to persuade him to look at her, to talk to her. Suddenly, before she could think twice, she stood up, moved in front of him, put her hands on his shoulders and climbed up to straddle his lap.

"Now you have no choice, John Bates. You will listen to me." Bates's eyes went wide at what she was doing, but before he could suggest that maybe this wasn't a good idea, Anna was kissing him, and kissing him in such a way that he went hard immediately. Her tongue teased at his lips, beckoning him, he responded and put his arms around her back to steady her as she lifted her skirts up and out of the way.

She was snug against him, her hips, rocking, grinding, he could feel her heat through his clothes, as she could feel his desire through hers. The only things separating them were the fabric of his trousers and her thin cotton undergarments. Anna could feel exactly what she was doing to him, he knew, Not content with the feel of cloth against her fingers. she reached up and undid the studs of his collar, tossing it aside, she began to work on the buttons of his shirt, all the time, her hips continued the motion that was causing him to gasp and sweat. He dropped his hands from her back, lower, to either side of her hips, holding her, moving with her. One hand exploring his chest moved lower until it brushed against him. He gasped, and involuntarily thrust his hips to meet her touch. He whispered her name, as she brought her mouth once more to his. One hand on the skin of his chest, the other stroking between them.

"No fair," he panted against her neck as her hands once again found the warm skin beneath his shirt. Leaving his left hand to support her hip, he brought his right hand down her leg, and snaked it up underneath her skirt. It was her turn to gasp now. His hand fumbled with the stays of her garters, smoothing a path up her thigh. He paused to shift her slightly back, then slid his hand between them, seeking the warmth of her core, the place he so longed to reach. Despite his need, his exploration was tentative. He drew his fingers across the sodden fabric that separated them, amazed at how wet she was. He watched her face as he stroked her, her eyes closed, her head back. Her hands tightened on his shoulders as he moved aside the fabric and allowed himself to have that first touch of skin on skin. As he parted her, he gasped at the wetness he found there, at the heat that drew him. Slowly, gently, he stroked that hard nub at her center. Anna gave a low throaty moan in response to his touch, grinding her hips into him, whispering her love. Her response to his touch was a wondrous thing. He never in his wildest dreams expected this gift. This was becoming dangerous, and his need to possess her was was so hard that he was afraid that soon he would be unable to stop.

"Anna," he whispered hoarsely, as he removed his hand from between them.

"Anna. I don't want the first time to be like this." He brought his arms up around her back, pulling her close to him. "I want you properly, not fumbling in the dark, half-clothed, silent." He moved her back. "I want to see you. I want to hear you call my name." He kissed her again. "Anna, I want you in my bed, not here in these wretched gardens"

Anna, face flushed, breathing heavy, placed her hands on either side of his face. "Then, John Bates, I suggest you find us a bed, because I have waited four years for this moment, and I am not waiting any longer."

"And if I should get you with child?" He winced at the harshness of his words, tried to soften them with a kiss. Anna was having none of it. She thrust her hips into him again causing his hands to tighten on her waist.

"Then I will have your baby. We are going to be married. We can do it here at Downton, or go to Scotland, or travel to Ealing for all I bloody well care. But I am going to marry you, and you are going to take me to bed tonight and show me what I have been missing."

_Sweet Jesus_, Bates thought. "Anna, are you..." he was stopped by another kiss.

"John Bates if you ask me once more if I'm sure, or if I know what I'm doing, or tell me to be patient, then I swear I will walk out of Downton, into the village, and ask Mr. Mosely if he wouldn't like to go courting."

John regarded her cautiously for a moment, then said "Well, we can't have that now, can we?"

**TBC in a very M part 2. Some hidden nods to Red Nose Day's Uptown Downstairs Abbey.**


	2. Chapter 2  Resolutions

Chapter 2 - Resolutions

**VERY DEFINITELY M...**

John led her silently by the hand around the side of the house to the doors off the conservatory. The household was dark and silent, everyone asleep, except the two of them. The door was locked, and Anna raised a questioning eyebrow. John winked at her, withdrew a penknife from his pocket and proceeded to jimmy the lock.

"How?" Anna started to ask, but John just smiled at her.

"You learn all sorts of things in prison." He said, with no small trace of irony.

Once inside they ghosted through the corridors to the very end of the east wing. The wing farthest from the family corridors, farthest from the servants rooms, farthest from stopped in front of a closed door, a questioning look on his face. His desire had not abated, but he was starting to have doubts. _Does she really want this? Can I do this outside of our marriage?_

Anna gently nudged him out of the way, opened the door, and pulled him into the room.

_Finally, _she thought_, alone, no one to hear us, no one but __us_.

She moved to stand in front of the bed leaving John hovering near the door. Though it was dark, the full moon cast pale shadows into the room bathing everything in a silvery knew that the first step was hers to make, so she locked her eyes on John and began by removing her watched her silently as she dropped the garment to the floor. Next, she undid the buttons at her sleeves, and then slowly started on the buttons at the front of her dress. When they were undone, she stepped out of her dress and stood before him in her shift. She could see him gazing at her, drinking her in, but he still hadn't moved, and the only sound he made was a sharp intake of breath as her dress came next reached up to take the pins from her hair, but was stopped as John said huskily, "I'd like to do that."

She held her hands out to him as he closed the space between them, slowly, deliberately, his eyes never leaving hers. He took her hands as he stood before her, then gently reached up and found the pins holding her hair up. Anna shivered at his touch. Her hair came tumbling down around her shoulders as John ran his fingers through it, separating it, stroking it.

He still hadn't touched her, so she reached for his hand and brought it to her groaned at the contact then stepped forward and spun her so her back was to him, lips at her neck, one hand on her breast, the other on her hip. She could feel him through the fabric of her shift, and she ground herself into him eliciting another groan as he nipped her fingers found her nipple and began to make slow passes over and around it causing Anna to arch even farther backwards into him. He turned her head to capture her mouth as his fingers made their way from her hip towards the hem of her shift. He drew it up over her hips, and slid his hand over the smooth flat skin of her belly .

Not content with the feel of her breast outside the fabric, he slipped his hand through the neckline and down until he could cup her and resume his attention to her nipple. Anna was in heaven, pressing herself against him, she covered his hands with hers, moving with him, helping him learn what she liked. When she could bear it no more, she helped him slide her shift over her head, and her undergarments over her legs, until she stood before him, shining palely in the moonlight.

"Dear God, you are so beautiful," John whispered, standing behind her, running his hands up over her thighs, hips, and belly. "I never dreamed you could be so beautiful…so…flawless…"

Anna's heart melted at the words, and any lingering insecurities she might have felt disappeared. She turned in his arms and answered him with her mouth, deeply, passionately, she clung along the length of him, hips moving of their own accord. John propelled her gently backwards. When she felt the back of her knees meet the coverlet, she sank down, ready to undress him, ready to feel his skin on hers. John, however, had other ideas.

He stood before her, still dressed, and took her hands. "Anna, I would show you how much I love you, how much I need you, but, this is your first time, you must tell me if you become uncomfortable."

"John, the only thing that is making me uncomfortable now, is that you are fully dressed." She reached her hand for the waistband of his trousers. Deftly she found the buttons, and loosened them one by one. John shrugged off his jacket as Anna lowered his trousers. Running her hands up the front of his thighs, she moved lightly over the tautly tented fabric. John reached a hand out to her shoulder, steadying himself as she ghosted back and forth, her hands on the tops of his thighs, on his belly, reaching for his chest. Anna's arousal was intense and her desire for him had built itself to a fevre pitch. She didn't know how much longer she cold take the waiting. John swiftly undid his shirt and knelt in front of her between her legs, and pulled her into a long, deep kiss. Anna let her hands explore his chest, reveling in the ripple of muscle, the feel of his skin. She traced the line of hair down to the waistband of his shorts, but he pulled her up and to him. John was absolutely determined that he would see to her needs first, that he would show her the beauty of making love to the woman you love. The feel of her naked against his chest was incredible. He brought his hands up, brushing the sides of her breasts, then gently, placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back on the bed. He let himself explore her then. Each beautiful breast received his full attention. He was delighted with how perfectly they fit the palms of his hands, and how sweet her nipples tasted when he brought them to his mouth.

His hands roamed lower, his lips followed kissing a path down her belly until he came to the junction of hair at her thighs. Anna moaned and grasped at his head with her hands. Her hips lifted off the bed to meet him as he gently nuzzled her, smelling her arousal, feeling the dampness against his cheek. With his fingers he stroked her like he had done earlier, and was rewarded with an upthrust of hip. He parted her and replaced his fingers with his tongue. Her hands returned to the top of his head, "Oh, John," she whispered as she allowed the waves to build inside her.

No one had ever explained the heat, the tightness, the need. John allowed himself to toy with her entrance, but he held back from sliding his fingers into her. Each time he licked around it, he circled her core with his thumb, and each time, Anna's breathing grew more labored, her moans louder. Her hips were moving at such a pace, that John was forced to lay his forearm over the top of her. He knew she was close, but the intensity of the orgasm surprised them both. John held her with gentle kisses as he tasted her joy, and Anna found herself shuddering and quivering at the intensity of feeling. John kissed his way back up to her lips, gathered her in his arms, and held her while she calmed. He whispered his love to her, kissed her gently, stroked her breasts and belly, until finally the glazed look went from her eyes.

She turned to him."That was amazing." she said simply.

"Yes, " John agreed, "It was."

"Was that an…orgasm?" She hesitated over the unfamiliar word.

"Oh, yes, my love." He cradled her close to him. "It is a very rare thing for a woman to feel them that strongly."

"Is that what you feel?" she smiled at him playfully.

"Well, I think it's what I will feel when…" John stopped. Anna was tugging at the waistband of his shorts.

"Show me, John. Let me see you." He helped her slip them off, then pulled her to him. For the first time in her life, Anna felt the strength of a male body. The power of his arousal fascinated her. She watched his face as she ran her fingers over his erection, exploring him as he explored her. She felt the coarseness of his pubic hair, the silky smoothness of his shaft and the tight weight that hung underneath him. Each time she moved her hands, she was rewarded with a shuddered panting from John. She watched the effect that her touch had on him with growing wonder. If it was possible, he was harder now than when she began touching him, and just as she was about to say something, John pulled her up and crushed her mouth under his.

He moved her under him, and it was the most natural thing in the world for her to spread her thighs to allow him access. He brought himself down on his elbows kissing her, then gently stopped, and gazed at her.

"Anna?" his voice trembled and she knew he was asking permission.

"Yes, my love. Oh, yes." She knew it was supposed to hurt, everyone said it did, but there was no pain. Only a bit of discomfort which caused her to gasp. She never would have imagined the feeling of completeness that their joining brought. It was like the last piece of the puzzle being clicked into place. Her breathing caught at the realization, and stopped, and looked at her, but she thrust her hips into him letting him know that it was okay, that she was okay.

For John, it was like drowning in a sea of silk, the exquisite sensation of finally being buried in Anna's warmth, held by Anna's love very nearly threatened to overwhelm. He knew that he wouldn't be able to make this last, and one look at Anna's face he knew she was close again, too. Each thrust into her, brought her closer to that feeling of heat and tightness from a moment ago. She continued to move her hips to meet his, arms raking his back as his lips sought hers. Anna's breathing became more and more erratic.

"God, Anna, you feel so good." John moved his lips back to hers as he thrust deeper. When he was close, he moved his hand between them and stroked Anna once, twice, thrice, until he felt her tense and shudder again. Only then did he let go and allow his climax to take control of him.

Whencould think and breathe again, the first thought that came into his head was, _why did I wait so long_?

**A/N I have no idea what's gone wrong with the formatting - what I am seeing here in the Edit/Preview pane is correct - what is showing up on the page is not. My apologies...Oh, and I have a follow-up in mind if anyone is interested.**


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